Hi there, it’s Hillarie! This is your favorite weekly newsletter about things I found worthy of my time and I think you may enjoy, too. Keep reading for some ideas to get your week started.
2021: what in interesting year. For me, the highlights are spending time with wonderful people, reading interesting books, listing to great music, and falling in love with nature. This week, I am sharing a few things getting me excited for the new year. Enjoy!
A coach worth adding to your team:
The Financial Gym
Maintaining a budget has always been important in my house, but it has not necessarily been easy. Setting goals and making progress has been a struggle because we don’t always know what to prioritize or how far in advance we should begin planning. So a few weeks back, we made the decision to work with a financial coach to help us get clear about our future plans and how we would achieve them within our means.
What I love about this: Working with Financial Gym has helped us get clear about what we really want out of life. (It turns out, we want to live on a farm!) Our coach created a safe space to talk about finances, without shame, blame, or guilt. She is our biggest cheerleader and provides objective input on how to achieve our goals, without the pressure of trying to sell us anything.
Who this is for: Anybody at any experience level who wants to improve how they manage finances - check out what they can do. They have coaches at different skill levels and various expertise, and at a reasonable price. Whether you have never budgeted, need help planning for long-term goals, or simply need to get better at talking about finances.
An outdoor activity worth being in the cold:
There are so many.
I know, this was a cheap trick and I can hear you groaning. But go with me for just a moment to the magical outdoors during the winter months. Here are a few ideas:
Bring flashlights to the forest: Warm jackets, boots, and a flashlight. The rest of the fun has already been made; all you have to do is let the kids discover it. Be sure to ask thoughtful questions. Look up. Look down. Listen for sounds. It’s simple and fun for all ages.
Plant flower bulbs: Bulbs are interesting types of seeds that need to freeze in the ground in order to bloom in the spring - think tulips, daffodils, or alliums. Depending on your growing zone, there may still be time to get some bulbs in the ground! Treat your future self to beautiful flowers by getting out in the cold and planting now.
Visualize garden possibilities: This is another way of saying, stand in your yard and stare at it. Imagine, wonder, and dream of what could be. This is a crucial skill for gardening and landscaping, but it takes time to develop. Should you try it and feel frustrated, you are doing it right. I am still working at it, and the more I practice, the more I can visualize.
There are so many simple activities that can get us outdoors in the winter. They do not have to be time-consuming or elaborate. Just commit to doing it often and see what happens.
A thinker worth your headspace:
Anne Helen Petersen
Some of my favorite topics include: economics, organizational development, and dealing with feelings, and Anne covers them all. She has been writing a lot about the future of work over the last few years and has some great ideas about remote work in her new book. She’s a deep thinker, honest writer, and always has some new insight to share.
Check her out if you are particularly interested in the future of work. She helped inspire my thinking on this topic, as well.